Injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts by feeding material (typically a polymer) into a heated barrel, whereby the material is heated to an appropriate melting temperature and forced into a mold cavity where the material cools and hardens to the configuration of the mold cavity. Injection molding of optical devices, such as lenses, filters or optical waveguides, includes injecting an optical-grade material (hereafter “optical material”) into cavities of a pre-fabricated moldplate where the cavities of the moldplate are typically configured with a predetermined optical shape. The optical material is then cured and the desired optical device with the predetermined optical shape is formed inside the cavities. The thus formed optical device is then extracted from the moldplate using a vacuum chuck or a similar mechanical apparatus. Injection molding is advantageous because it allows for high production output rates; close tolerances in small parts are achievable with properly fabricated moldplates and correct control of the injection process; no post production is required; scrap material may be reused; and full automation is possible. However, some complications of the injection molding process are burning or scorching of parts due to melt temperature being too high or curing cycle time being too long; warping of parts due to uneven surface temperature of the moldplate cavities; surface imperfections and bubbles due to incomplete filling, surface cracking due to rapid change of temperature, and the like. More importantly, in the injection molding of optical devices, removing the newly formed optical device from the moldplate cavities is often difficult, in particular if the optical material remains adhered to the walls of the cavities.
To prevent or minimize adhesion of the optical material to the moldplate, conventional injection molding processes use a conformal coat of release layer which is deposited and cured on the moldplate prior to curing the optical material. The release layer facilitates release of the optical device from the moldplate once the optical device has been formed. However, in order to ensure quality in the optical device, the release layer is sacrificed when the optical device is removed from the moldplate, and a new release layer is applied for the injection molding of a new optical device. Thus, the conventional “demolding” process and recoating of the moldplate is disadvantageous to the overall optical device production process due to potential damage that the demolding mechanical apparatuses may cause to the surfaces of the optical devices and/or to the surfaces of the moldplate. Moreover, the time and expense required for applying a new coat of release layer can render the injection molding process excessively costly.